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You are here: Products | PCB-POOL embedded RFID

MAGIC-PCB

What is RFID?
Benefits of MAGIC-PCB®
Coming soon: embedded RFID
MAGICSTRAP® & EMBEDDED RFID: what now?
Antenna design for surface mounting

IT‘S MAGIC!

Are you looking for a unique system for identifying your PCBs and electronic devices that is fast, copy-proof, reliable and virtually indestructible?

Are you tired of fighting with illegible EAN codes, ripped-off labels, and product piracy?

Then we have the right solution for you:
MAGIC-PCB^®:
the RFID PCB identification system.

WHAT IS RFID?

RFID is s technology that uses radio signals for contactless reading of data from RFID tags attached to objects (using a reader).

An RFID system consists of a data storage device (RFID transponder or tag), which comprises an IC and an antenna fitted in a module, and a RFID reader/writer, which comprises an antenna and a decoder.

The tags or transponders can be made extremely small and are used to identify goods or objects.

More information:
RFID PCB tag (UHF) with MAGICSTRAP 2010 - all.pdf

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RFID – VALUE CREATORS IN ELECTRONICS

A consortium composed of Murata, Kathrein, Brooks and Beta LAYOUT is implementing something you may have wanted for a long time: putting RFID to work in the early phases of the product development process.
This approach allows added value to be generated during all of the subsequent process phases.
Murata’s Magicstrap^® allows PCBs to be used as RFID tags and Kathrein provides matching antenna solutions.
Finally, Beta LAYOUT’s MAGIC-PCB^® technique for embedding Magicstrap^® in prototypes puts all of this into practice and allows it to be used in product development.
The collaborative effort of these four experts creates a flexible, scalable system solution where the whole is more than the sum of the parts.

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MAGIC-PCB^® – THE BENEFITS

Saves space with:

RFID chips can be embedded in PCBs or surface mounted
Takes up less space on the PCB than barcodes or dot matrix codes
Works even without an antenna, so no space is needed on the front or rear of the PCB

Cost saving:

Fast data acquisition (very short read time)
Simultaneous reading of multiple tags (over 100 tags per second)

Reliable:

High reading accuracy
Small number of manual operations
Invisible copy protection

Versatile:

No optical contact necessary: reads through enclosures and packaging
Additional user memory (e.g. for software version, maintenance information, etc.)
Wide reading angle

Usable worldwide:

International standard (EPC Global; covers EU, US and Japan)

COMING SOON: EMBEDDED RFID


	PCB before embedding


	PCB with embedded RFID

Imagine:
Your bare PCB would invisibly content the following information without the need of a single mm of space:

● board revision
● bill of material
● firmware version
● documentation link
● schematics and layout file information
● date code
● manufacturing plant
● manufacturing flow
● end product type
● warranty/return information
● repair and upgrade history
● customer information
● anti-tamper information
● .... your idea?....

Using an applicator machine developed by Beta LAYOUT and funded by the "Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft", a slot is milled in the PCB and the RFID chip is inserted in the slot.

This technique is protected by registered design
20 2010 014 862.6 (patent pending).

MAGICSTRAP^® devices from Murata are especially suitable for this purpose.

The chip is encapsulated in epoxy resin, making it a fixed and nearly indestructible part of the PCB.

1. RFID chip

2. PCB with milled slot

3. Chip embedded in PCB

MAGIC-PCB^® will soon be commercially available, but you can already try out the full functionality of UHF RFID technology.
All necessary components are available in our REFLOW KIT shop.

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MAGICSTRAP® & EMBEDDED RFID: WHAT NOW?

Do you want to try out MAGIC-PCB^® right now?

No problem: in our REFLOW KIT shop you will find all the components you need to put together a read/write system:
www.reflow-kit.com/UHF-RFID

Take it easy with our RFID Starter Kit Basic.
€279 plus shipping charges

Looking for an out-of-the-box solution? Our RFID Starter Kit Pro is the perfect choice.
€749 plus shipping charges

Demos

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ANTENNA DESIGN FOR SURFACE MOUNTING

The main benefit of MAGIC-PCB^® is that the stored data can be read and written even without an antenna.

Greater range (up to approximately 5 m) can be achieved with an external antenna.
You can download suitable layouts from our website free of charge with no use restrictions.

	Type 1: LXMS31ACNA- 009 Size: 0.5 x 0.5 cm (0.25 cm²) Range: approx. 0.7 m
	Type 2: LXMS31ACNA- 010 Size: 0.5 x 1.0 cm (0.5 cm²) Range: approx. 1.6 m
	Type 3: LXMS31ACNA- 011 Size: 1.2 x 1.0 cm (1.2 cm²) Range: approx. 3.5 m
	Type 4: LXMS31ACNA- 012 Size: 3.2 x 1.3 cm (4.2 cm²) Range: approx. 5 m
	Download specifications: MAGICSTRAP Technical Data Sheet (PDF) MAGICSTRAP Application Note 08/2011 (PDF) Downloads: EAGLE Antenna Designs Extended Gerber Antenna Designs Target user: simply update the online component database. (F2 -> Tools -> Update online component database)